Canning machine



J. F. ANDERSON.

CANNING MACHINE. AFPLI fiATION mu) JAN. 24. I921' Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. F. ANDERSON. CANNING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1921.

Patentd NOV. 7, 1922.

J. F. ANDERSON.

CANNING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 192i.

Patented Nowafl, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEE] 4 Nov. 7, rear;

JOHN "E. ANDERSON, G15 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CANNING DEACHINE.

Original application filed September 18, 1917, Serial No. 191,922. Divided and this application filed Jannary 24, 1 921.

To aZ/Y whom it may concern Be it known that l, J 01in F. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Canning Ma chines of which the following is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to cutting means applicable to fish canning machines, and more particularly to such canning machines which tn the cans while in the vertical position.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial #191922, filed Sept. 18,1917.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means for cutting the fish into sections and feeding the sections to a filling chamber in such position that they may be readily placed into cans in vertical position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cutting means as above described, which is simple in construction, durable to use and efficient in operation for its purposes.

These and further objects will be apparent from the following detailed description fully setting orth the advantages of the invention and its construction.

In. this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is disclosed in the form in which it is considered to be the best,

but the invention is not limited to such form because it is capable of being embodied in other forms; and it is to be understood that in and by the claims following the descrip tion herein it is intended to cover the invention in whatever form it may embody within the scope thereof.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a perspective elevation. of the cutting means embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the side cutting means looking from the side which is obscured in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation talren substantially in line 33 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. at is a sectional view taken substan tially on line 1*4' of Fig. 3.

Fig. '5 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating in side elevation the cam mechanism for operating the feeding forks.

. 6 is an elevation of the feeding forks Serial No. 439,469.

and looking in the direction of the arrow Z in F 1g. 1.

1 1g. 7 1s a side elevation of a cam inechanism for operatm the feed stop plate.

l 1g. 8 is a cross sectional view of the cam means shown in ig.

n1g. 9 1s a fragmentary top plan view of an auxiliary feeding means arranged in the trough or conduit.

r 1g. 10 is an end elevation of the means shown in Fig. 9. in referring to the specification and drawmg like characters denote similar and corresponding parts wherever referred to.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, denotes the main frame of the machine having mounted, preferably, at one end thereof the cutting mechanism generally indicated by B and formingthe present inventlon, which cooperates with other mechanisms (not shown) arranged on r i the Lame ior cariying out the canning process, this other mechanism being shown in detail in my copending application above rererred to.

'lhe cutting mechanism B is actuated from 1 and. 2, the shaft 17 shown in a horizon tal position for the sake of simplicity and clearness.

The shaft 17 has keyed thereon, in spaced relation, preferably at oneside of the gear 16, two members 18 and 19 each having at least three radial arms, a, 7), and 0, see Figs. 5 and 6. One of said members 18 and 19. which is nearest the elevated end of they shaft 17. (in the drawings this being member 18) has secured to'its extremity as at 20 cutting knives 21 which extend radially from the member for a purpose later referred to.

The arms of the members 18 and 19 are connected by three shafts 22, preferably extending substantially parallel to the shaft 17 and rotatably mounted in the extremities of said arms. Arranged adjacent the member 19 is a stationary cam plate '26 having a cam groove 25 t-herein,. the cam plate being rigid with the frame A, as at 27. Each of said shafts 22 has a crank member 23 on one end thereof carrying a cam follower which extends in the cam groove 25 of the plate 26, It will therefore be seen that as the shaft 17 is rotated, the members 18 and 19 rotating ther with, the cam follower2-l, will be caused to move in the groove 25 and effect an oscillation of the shafts 22 through the medium ofthe cranks 23. Each of the shafts 22 have loosely mounted thereon, a fork or fingerdikc member 28, normally held in forward position relative to the direction of rotation, against lugs 29 on members 19 by means of coil spring 30, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, whereby oscillations of the shafts 22 are imparted to the feeding members 28, for a purpose which is clearly obvious. However, by the provisions of the spring 30 and the arrangement of the lug 29, these members 28 will yield slightly against tension of the springs 30 as they engagewith the material to be fed and thereby preventing it from being crushed or mutilated by a non-yielding impact.

The fish or similar material to be canned isfed into the feeding mechanism A. along a chute or trough 38 which, like the shaft 17 is arranged at an incline to the horizontal to permit material to gravitate into the feeding mechanism.

Arranged, preferably, beneath the mecha nism just described is a conduit or trough 31 having its top, bottom, and sides closed. The conduit 31 provides a means by which the material is passed from the cutting means to the canning mechanism, '(not shown) and extends in the direction of movements of the forks 28. The forward end of the conduit 31, is provided with slots 34- in its end and top wall to allow the tines of the said members 28 to pass therebetween. The conduit 31 is so arranged, relatively to the members 28 and the knives 21, that the latter will move substantially iiush to the outer side wall of the conduit adjacent the feed chute 38, there being sufiicient space between the chute and the conduit to permit the passage of the knives therebetween, as illustrated in Fig. 5. This side wall of the conduit 31 is provided with an entrance opening 32, of about the same area the cross section of the chute 38, and in which the chute discharges, and the knives 21 intermittently sever the material fed down in the chute into sections as it passes into the conduit.

Running transversely across the conduit 31, and past the entrance is a slidably mounted plate or stop member 36 which acts to partition. the conduit at its front end to form a receiving chamber 03, Fig. 3. After the material has been fed into the receiving chamber and the knives 21 severs it from that still remaining in die chute 33, the plate 36 will be moved in order to permit the tines of the members 28 to feed the material from this chamber through the conduit toward the canning mechanism (notshown) at the other end of the conduit. The means for actuating the plate 36 comprises a lever 37 fulcrumed at an intermediate point, as at 38 and having one end attached to the plate and the other end attached to an end of an M11139, which is secured at its other end to a forked guide plate 40 which embraces an end portion of shaft 17 (see Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8). A cam follower 41 on the plate 40 travels in a groove 42 in a cam plate secured to the shaft 17 and rotating therewith. This latter construction causes a re ciprocating movement to be transmitted to the stop plate 36 in regular intervals of time which will cooperate with the other mechanism. The plate 36 is guided in its movement by an extension 36 :rtending there from and slidably extending through a guide 86.

Secured on the bed of the frame A is a base member having thereon two vertical bearings 46 and L7, Figs. 9 and 10. in bearings l6 is rotatably mounted a cone shaped auxiliary feed member 48, the face of the cone of which is on the same angle as the side of the chute 31, into which the cone projects. Running through said cone and slidably mounted therein are two horizontal pins or fingers as, one being directly above the other, and adapted to reach across the inside of chute 31'. The outer ends of said pins are secured to a vertical pin 50,rotatab v on crank 51, secured to a shaft 02, turni on bearing 17, and passing down helow table A, and provided with sprocket wheel over which a chain runs to sprocket 55, on shaft 22, there being idlers such as 56 where necessary, 10).

tl he rear end of the conduit terminates at the filling chamber of a vertical canning mechanism (not shown), and it will be oh served that the conduit 31 has been twisted or shaped. in such manner to deliver the material lying in a substantiallyinclined position from the receiving chamber :0 to its opposite end in a substantially vertical position.

The operation is as follows The fish to be canned. being first cleaned and otherwise prepared, is placed in the chute 33, the foremost end. being up against the back of chute 31 through opening 32. One of the blades 21 of the revolving knife, cuts the fish off at this point, and the fingers 28, following the knife, push the cut section of fish through the said chute. the fi rs 28 remaining practically vertical during their passage through slots 34 by reason of the action of cam groove 25 and cranks 23. As soon as the first sect-ion of fish. has been served and pushed along, the remainder of the 'fish'slides into place and is prevented from entering the conduit 31 by reason of the plate 36, which actuated by the cam 12, slides up and closes the conduit until the next knife blade comes by, whereupon the said plate 36 is lowered and clears the conduit for the feeding of the next cut segment of fish.

At the end of the area of feeding movement of the fingers 28, the fingers 40 take hold and further push the severed. section of fish into the filling chamber of the canning mechanism (not shown) in a vertical position on account of the twisted formation of the conduit 31.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a rotatable cutter having blades positioned to travel transversely of said chute, feed members carried by said cutter, and means for imparting movement to the feed members independently of the cutter.

2. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a rotatable cutter having blades positioned to travel transversely of said chute, and independently movable feed members carried by said cutter.

3. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft mounted parallel therewith, spaced apart carriers secured. to said shaft, cutter blades attached to one of said carriers, and independently movable feed members supported by said carriers.

4. An improvement-in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft mounted parallel therewith, spaced apart carriers secured to said shaft, cutter blades attached to one of said carriers, carrier shafts supported by said carrier members contiguous to said blades,

and feed members pivotally mounted on said,

carrier shafts.

5. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft mounted parallel therewith, spaced apart carriers secured to said shaft, cutter blades attached to one of said carriers, carrier shafts supported by said carrier members contiguous to said blades, spring-pressed feed members secured upon said shafts, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said feed members in one direction.

6. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising feed chute, drive shaft mounted parallel therewith, spaced apart carriers secured to said shaft, cutter blades attached to one of said carriers, carrier shafts supported by said carrier members contiguous to said blades, feed members pivotally mounted. on said shafts, and means for rocking said carrier shafts.

7. An improvement in canningmachines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft mounted parallel therewith, spaced apart carriers secured to said shaft, cutter blades attached to one of said carriers, carrier shafts, supported by said carrier members contiguous to said blades, feed members pivotally mounted on said shafts, crank arms attached to said carrier shafts, and a cam engaging said crank arms.

8. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft, a cutter on said shaft operating transversely of the chute, a stop plate for said chute, and means actuated by said shaft for periodically operating said stop-plate.

9. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft, a cutter on said shaft operating transversely of the chute, a stopplate for said chute, an actuating lever therefor, and means operated by said shaft for actuating said lever.

10. An improvement in canning machines of the character described comprising a feed chute, a drive shaft, a cutter on said shaft operating transversely of the chute, a stop plate for said chute, a cam operated by said shaft, and means cooperating with said cam to operate said stop plate.

11. A device for canning machines comprising a feeding chute, a cutting means a r ranged to move substantially transversely across the chute to sever the material fed, means cooperating with said cutting means for advancing the material severed, and auxiliary feeding means interposed in the path of movement of said material to further advance the latter subsequently to said first advancing means.

12. A. device for calming machines comprising a conduit through which the material to be canned. is fed, means arranged at the forward end of said conduit for seven ing into sections the material. fed into said conduit, means cooperating with said cutting means for advancing the sections toward the rear end of the conduit subsequently to the action of said first advancing means on said sections of material.

13. A device for canning machines comprising a conduit through which the material to be canned is fed, means arranged at the forward end of said conduit for severing into sections the material fed into said conduit, means for advancing the severed material through the conduit, and

an oscillatory feeding means for advancing said sections of material toward the rear end of the conduit subsequently to the action of said first feeding means thereon.

1% A device for canning machines comprising a conduit through which the material to be canned is fed, means arranged adjacent the forward end of said conduit for severing into sections the material fed into said conduit, means for advancing the severed material through the conduit, an oscillatory member interposed in the conduit between the ends thereof, and reciprocatory rods slidably extended through said oscillatory member and into said conduit, whereby the severed sections of material may be advanced toward the rear end of the conduit subsequently to the action. of said first feeding means thereon.

15. A device for canning machines comprising an inclined chute, means for severing into sections the material fed down said chute, a conduit in which said sections are discharged in an inclined position from said. chute, and means for feeding the severed sections through the conduit, said. conduit having the 'Wd-llS thereof distorted to deliver the sections of material in a vertical position at the other end thereof.

In testim ony whereof I affix my gnature.

JOHN F. ANDERSON. 

